Internal Brewsletter - November 8th, 2023
General
November Food and Beer Pairing
This Friday, 11/10, we will be featuring a food and beer pairing for November at both of our locations. This special will run the entire time we have the beer available.
Curry Butternut Squash Pot Pie - Rich butternut squash and coconut curry stew with mixed peppers, zucchini, and potatoes. Topped with a flaky pastry crust $16.99 -
Pairs with Punch Out & Prost (Dortmunder Export Lager) - Punch Out & Prost’s crisp, dry & slightly bitter notes balance the rich and spicy pot pie, offering a delightful contrast and cleansing effect, while the sweeter notes in the beer compliment the sweetness of the squash. This pairing creates a harmonious and enjoyable combination.
Bottle Limits
Starting today (11/8) both locations are lifting the limit on Framboise Claret bottles (buy to your heart’s content!) but we will still have the same limits on the other 3 release bottles.
Imagine - 4 bottles
Figgy Pudding - 4 bottles
Imagine, Chocolate Hazelnut - 2 bottles
LET’S RIDE!
This Fall, we sponsored Cycle Lab’s Biktoberfest. In return, we all get 3 free passes to try out their studio! Each class is around $25 so this is an AWESOME opportunity! And free!
Head to this link HERE to sign up/create an account and use the code BEER23 to redeem your classes!
They expire on 12/31/23 so let’s get fit before the Holidays arrive!
Employee Provision
This week’s Employee Provision will be brought to you by Alex Goodwin! Swing by the Pub this Thursday for a Pork Tonkatsu sandwich. The bakery has made us some Japanese Milk Bread, on which will go kewpie mayo, cabbage, cucumber-jalapeño relish, breaded thin pork cutlet, and tonkatsu sauce.
If that inspires you, we’re always looking for more submissions, so send in those ideas!
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - cans
RELEASING Friday 11/10
Punch Out & Prost // Punch out with this beautiful golden, export lager. This brew blends a delicate malt base with floral and spicy noble hops from the PNW. Lingering bitterness balances honey notes and offers a crisp finish, Prost! // 6.25% ABV
Takeaways: Continuing to push for authenticity, stylistically, in our Continental lagers, but balanced with our desire for sustainability and our Lagered by the Sun program. We used over 90% PNW malt and 100% PNW hops to create something authentically German.
Tasting Notes: Biscuit. Herbal. Bottoms Up.
Series: Perennial
Hoppy Holidays // This yuletide IPA is brewed with a sleigh full of hops, orange zest, and foraged spruce tips. Our gift of pine and citrus is wrapped in a warm malt backbone that is sure to bring holiday cheer. // 9.20% ABV
Takeaways: 150 pounds of spruce tips went into the beer, which were hand-foraged by our staff at Starker Forests in the Coast Range.
Tasting Notes: Jolly Rancher. Sweet Orange. Festive.
Series: Orbital
UPCOMING PACKAGED BEER RELEASES - Bottles
RELEASING Friday 11/10
Willa // Blended each year in celebration of Willa's birth. A solera-style blending of barrel-matured farmhouse ales; each year contains a portion of all prior vintages. Lively, bright, and complex, this beer is almost as unique as Willa herself. // 8.00% ABV
Takeaways: A beer brewed annually to celebrate the birth of our founder’s youngest daughters. Willa is a complex dark sour that contains a portion of all prior vintages and is conditioned in Willamette Valley ex-pinot noir barrels and bottle-conditioned with honey from her Grandpa Gus’ hive at the Block 15 Brewery.
Tasting Notes: Mild Acidity, Orchard Fruit, Tart, Honey
Series: Cellars
COMING UP ON DRAFT
RELEASING Friday 11/10
Punch Out & Prost // Dortmunder Export Lager
Hoppy Holidays // Imperial IPA with Citrus and Spruce Tips
Willa 2023 // Red Farmhouse Ale Matured in Red Wine Barrels
CROWLER/PACKAGE SALE
Crowler Sale: Tropicolor, Flicker (pub only)
UPCOMING / IN PROCESS BEERS
*This list is subject to change based on the brewing schedule, so please keep that in mind!
Fresh Pow // Hazy IPA
Alt 15 // Altbier
Ridgeback Red // Red Ale
Hair of the Peach // Barleywine Ale Matured in Bourbon Barrels with Peaches and Apricots, collaboration with Hair of the Dog
Hop Shuffle: Alora // Hazy IPA
Super Fly Rye // India Pale Ale
Consortium: Strata X Luminosa // West Coast IPA
BEER EDUCATION
Weekly Tastings of new releases and some classics is continuing:
Tuesdays at 2pm at the Taproom
Thursdays at 11am at the Pub
Beer 101: Deep Seek Evolution
Written by Ted O’Hanlan, Head Brewer
Evolution is inevitable, the industry is ever-changing, consumer tastes and preferences are ever-changing, technology and ingredients are ever-changing. Adaptability is one of the most important characteristics of a successful brewery, you have to be able to maintain a high level of quality and consistency while constantly evolving your offerings, often in subtle ways that most consumers won’t notice. Other times, however, you have to make big leaps quickly. Deep Seek has been undergoing a rapid evolution that we are ready to unveil.
We’ve previously posted here about West Coast IPA and the changes it has undergone in recent years. You can read that here (Scroll down to post 8/16). We have been slowly evolving Deep Seek since our first batch, often pushing very experimental techniques to drive intense, punchy hop flavor and aroma. Ultimately we wanted to go beyond what changes we’ve already made and present a beer that represents the kind of West Coast IPA we really want to make and serve to our customers.
As discussed in the previous post, west-coast IPAs have been getting lighter and lighter from the days of big caramel notes that presented as almost amber in color. This has made them much more drinkable, and, frankly, approachable in a similar way that Hazy IPA really changed the palate of IPA’s and made them more accessible than the 200+ IBU palate wrecker IPA’s from a decade ago. Belgian brewer often use the term “digestibility” when describing how they make beer, they may have high ABV, but they are lighter and enjoyable because of their focus on fermentation and balance.
In our quest to promote a more drinkable, or “digestible” beer we lightened up the malt base of the beer considerably, focusing on building a crisp beer that has a light, snappy finish. We’ve accomplished this by including PNW-sourced pilsner malt from our new silo. We’ve also been refining the bitterness, not just the intensity of it, but the quality as well. The bitterness should be instantly perceivable and then quickly fade, contributing to a finish that leaves you wanting another sip.
Another aspect of Deep Seek we’ve been evolving is the hop profile, we’ve wanted to make this beer both intense and balanced, with a pleasant blend of hops that leans into the classic West Coast notes of Pine resin and juicy citrus. We’re still using Amarillo, Citra, CTZ, Simcoe, and El Dorado, but we’ve brought in Chinook and, more notably, Nectaron to really add punch to the Citrus aroma of the beer.
Nectaron is a newer variety, first introduced in 2020, and has quickly gained popularity among brewers for its intense citrus and tropical notes. Brewers are always looking for the next Citra or Mosaic, a hop that brings so much more flavor and aroma than other hops that it demands to be used. Nectaron is one of those hops and might be the next big thing. We’ve been fortunate to get a contract on it so early since its release and we’ve already sprinkled it into some favorites over the past year, including The Present (The Anniversary collab IPA with Coldfire) and Something Big & Resinous (collab with Behemthod Brewing from New Zealand).
These updates have improved upon Deep Seek’s drinkability and we’re excited to present this evolved vision of Deep Seek to you and our customers. The evolution of our beers is constant, and we’re excited to present this evolved iteration of Deep Seek to you, but we will continue to evolve it, as we do all of our beers, perpetually improving and refining our craft with a passion for creativity and quest for excellence.
PUB UPDATES
This week’s home game is at 2:30, meaning we will likely get a solid push before and after the game. Rock your Beavers gear and come ready to have a great time! Thank you all for your hard work, great service, and high energy during these busy but fun football games! Next Saturday, the 18th, will be our last home football game!
We have someone coming by this week to take a look at the ice machine and hopefully get us back up and running!
While we did mention it in our all-staff meetings, we wanted to reiterate and clarify what the “most desirable” tables are in the restaurant and that we should be seating those tables first. Our most desirable tables/sections are booths, 6-10, and most of the upstairs (especially 13-15). Areas that are not as desirable and therefore should be seated once the rest of the tables are full are Brewer’s Lounge and Time-Out upstairs. Of course, if folks request these areas since they are quieter, they are more than welcome to sit there. This may mean that one server is 1-4 and the other is 5-10 (or 1-5 and 6-10 if we need to accommodate larger parties in 6-10). Upstairs we can split the more desirable tables into more equal sections until we are full enough to the point where we need the Time-Out section. This can look something like 13-16 (or 17) and 17-22 (or 18-22) to balance tables for each server. When in doubt, check in with your floating manager or manager on duty!
TAP ROOM UPDATES
Themed Nights at the Taproom start this week! 5-8pm
Tuesday is Craft/Hobby night in the barrel room. Some supplies are provided but folks are welcome to bring any projects or things they want to work on. 10% off appetizers for those participating!
Wednesday is student night! Show your student ID (any school/college is fine) and receive 15% off your tab.
Thursday is Game night! Bring any game to play while you hang out and get $1 off drinks. We have some games folks can borrow but are encouraged to bring their own!
Home game on Saturday at 2:30! Be prepared for a pre-game and potentially post-game push!
Saturday 11/11 is also 4Spirits Spirits Fest, street parking will be hard to come by so plan on leaving a few minutes earlier than normal for your shift to be able to find a spot. If folks come to the Taproom after being next door make sure to give a once over before serving to make sure folks aren’t being over-served and if they seem too intoxicated politely tell them you are not serving them alcohol but are happy to get them something N/A if they would like.
Caves UPDATES
We’re going to have a few new beers this week to replace the pFriem Hazy and our Fresh Hop that kicked over the weekend. Check out the newsletter for details!
Events
Check back next week
HIGH FIVE SECTION
Matt Williams - Matt really goes the extra mile to keep things running smoothly. You're appreciated!
Bailey Birch - For multitasking like a beast!
If you have kudos or kind words you want to share anonymously in the Brewsletter, use the button below!
STAFF SECTION!
Check back next week
SAFETY TIPS
A shoulder injury can occur as a result of a repetitive process. To reduce the risk of shoulder injuries, workers can:
Keep elbows and knees bent at a 90-degree angle when working.
Make sure feet are supported on the floor or use a footstool.
Take posture breaks and exercise for several minutes every hour.
Follow proper lifting techniques: Face the object to be lifted, and keep the back as straight as possible by bending and using legs for lifting power.
Avoid reaching to place or retrieve heavy objects stored up high. Use a stable platform or step stool.
THE PEOPLE’S PINT / CHEERS FOR CHARITY / DINE OUT
The People’s Pint Tap - November
For the whole month, we will be dedicating a tap handle to give back to our community. The organization we chose this month is Corvallis Mountain Rescue. A portion of the proceeds from each pint and packaged beer to-go will be donated to the organization from both Block 15 locations.
Corvallis Mountain Rescue Unit offers assistance, without charge, for search and rescue (SAR) in difficult areas and high-angle terrain. Skilled CMRU volunteers with mountaineering experience, trained in the many facets of technical alpine search and rescue, are available around the clock.
More info here: https://www.corvallismountainrescue.org/index.html
WHAT’S UP ON INSTA??
FEEDBACK
Hey friends! If you find yourself sitting at home, or out and about and something pops into your mind that you would like to pass along to the team, feel free to use this form! Please be mindful of keeping feedback or suggestions constructive and positively worded!